Chatfield Hollow Swimming Area in Killingworth Remains Closed – All other State Inland Swimming Areas Open for Weekend The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that all shoreline and inland beaches with the exception of Chatfield Hollow, Killingworth are open for the upcoming holiday weekend. Chatfield Hollow is being retested[continue reading…]

Norwalk area beach waterfronts are closed again Monday because of the heavy rainfall from over the weekend. There are concerns of swimmer safety with parasites and sewage lingering in Long Island Sound according to Calf Pasture lifeguard supervisor Joy Coreau. For more on this story, visit: Norwalk beaches remain closed – The Hour Publishing Company:[continue reading…]

Numerous sewage treatment plants throughout New England are at maximum capacity and overflow during periods of heavy rain, sending untreated sewage into Long Island Sound. Millions of people live in New England and Long Island. Heavy rain storms such as Irene have caused scores of sewage treatment plants to overflow, sending untreated waste down to[continue reading…]

A state court has ruled that New York State is failing to take legally required steps to clean up one of the biggest sources of pollution in its waterways — stormwater runoff. The January 10th decision of the Westchester County Supreme Court comes in a lawsuit NRDC filed in 2010, which challenged a statewide “general[continue reading…]

The annual report examines national water quality and beach closings data for 2010, breaking down the information state-by-state and beach-by-beach. There were 143 beach closings and advisories in Connecticut in 2010, a 32 percent increase from 2009.

“The number of beach closures and advisory days in Connecticut rose significantly last year and we tumbled to 24th in the nation for the number of bacteria tests exceeding national beach standards,” said Leah Schmalz, director of legal and legislative affairs for Save the Sound.

Eichler’s Cove, Newtown’s only public fresh water beach, will be closed at least through Friday according to the local Health District. With no substantial runoff or known failing septic systems in the area, health and wetland officials suspect a significant population of Canada Geese nesting in the area for the highest bacteria counts on record[continue reading…]